José Maria Olazábal may have been forced to withdraw from the main event through injury but he is still a champion at the 2010 BMW PGA Championship after winning the Pro-Am.
The 1994 Champion had hoped to be able to compete at Wentworth Club after being sidelined since last October battling rheumatism but had to accept he was not ready for a return to competitive action and withdrew earlier this week. But the two-time Major Champion still took part in the BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am and with his BMW – Duke of York’s team of Ben Simpson, Jordan Mann and Ed Peters, compiled a team score of 17 under par around the remodelled West Course.
That total was matched in the afternoon by Louis Oosthiuzen and his BMW Corporate Sales Team of Ian Tilbrook, Neal Francis and Greg Taylor but the Spaniard took the honours by the narrowest of margins on count back. The teams had the same scores on the back nine, back six, back three, last, and they could only be separated by a hole by hole play-off from the first.
Ernie Els, whose design will come under scrutiny in competition for the first time for Thursday’s opening round, partnered John Magnier, Johann Rupert and JP McManus into third place behind Robert Karlsson in the afternoon session.
An international array of stars from the worlds of sport and entertainment stood shoulder to shoulder with the cream of European Tour golfing talent for the traditional curtain raiser to The European Tour’s flagship event.
BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am Morning Results
BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am Afternoon Results
